German Energy Agency launches int’l Start Up Energy Transition award

startup-energy-transition

The Deutsche Energie-Agentur – the German Energy Agency, or dena for short, has initiated the international competition, “Start Up Energy Transition”.

Start-ups and young companies worldwide are invited to apply with their business models and visions. Applications may be submitted at www.startup-energy-transition.com.

The initiative has garnered support from renowned personalities like Patricia Espinosa, general secretary of the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Jules Kortenhorst, CEO of the Rocky Mountain Institute.

The initiative’s patrons include the Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Sigmar Gabriel, as well as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

There are six categories to compete:

  • “The Urban Energy Transition” for contributions to digitalized and sustainable cities
  • “Cleantech against Climate Change” for technologies that are helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a wide range of sectors
  • “Future of Production and Manufacturing” for digital solutions in the industry
  • “Mobility meets Energy Transition” for sustainable mobility concepts
  • “Platforms and Communities” for the expansion of networks.

The special prize “Start Up SDG 7” will go to a company whose project contributes to the
United Nations’ sustainable development goal (SDG) 7: affordable, clean energy for all.

The award will be presented as part of the “Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue” (BETD) in March 2017 in Berlin, where over 1000 delegates from 70 countries are expected to attend.

The annual global Energy Transition summit, jointly organized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the Foreign Office, brings political decision-makers from all over the world together with experts from business, science, administration and civil society, and promotes the expansion of international cooperation in climate protection, energy efficiency, and renewable energies.

Rajani Baburajan

[email protected]